Guzmania plant named ‘Flava’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Guzmania  plant named ‘Flava’, characterized by its compact, upright and outwardly arching growth habit; relatively broad leaves; short to intermediate inflorescences with showy yellow, orange and dark red-colored bracts; and good postproduction longevity.

Botanical designation: Guzmania hybrida.

Cultivar denomination: ‘FLAVA’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Guzmaniaplant, botanically known as Guzmania hybrida and hereinafter referred toby the name ‘Flava’.

The new Guzmania plant is a product of a planned breeding programconducted by the Inventors in Laarne, Belgium. The objective of thebreeding program is to create new Guzmania plants having unique bractcolors and enhanced postproduction longevity.

The new Guzmania originated from a cross-pollination made by theInventors in February, 2008 in Laarne, Belgium of Guzmania hybrida‘BQZ’, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with an unnamedproprietary selection of Guzmania minor, not patented, as the male, orpollen, parent. The new Guzmania plant was discovered and selected bythe Inventors as a single flowering plant from within the progeny of thestated cross-pollination in a controlled environment in Laarne, Belgiumin November, 2010.

Asexual reproduction of the new Guzmania plant by tissue culture in acontrolled environment in Laarne, Belgium since December, 2010 has shownthat the unique features of this new Guzmania plant are stable andreproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Guzmania have not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may varysomewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperatureand light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Flava’. These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘Flava’ as a new and distinct Guzmania plant:

-   -   1. Compact, upright and outwardly arching growth habit.    -   2. Relatively broad leaves.    -   3. Short to intermediate inflorescences with showy yellow,        orange and dark red-colored bracts.    -   4. Good postproduction longevity.

Plants of the new Guzmania can be compared to plants of the femaleparent, ‘BQZ’. Plants of the new Guzmania differ primarily from plantsof ‘BQZ’ in plant size as plants of the new Guzmania are more compactthan plants of ‘BQZ’. In addition, plants of the new Guzmania and ‘BQZ’differ in bract color as plants of ‘BQZ’ have yellow-colored bracts.

Plants of the new Guzmania can be compared to plants of the male parentselection. Plants of the new Guzmania differ primarily from plants ofthe male parent selection in plant size as plants of the new Guzmaniaare taller than plants of the male parent selection. In addition, plantsof the new Guzmania and the male parent selection differ in bract coloras plants of the male parent selection have orange-colored bracts.

Plants of the new Guzmania can be compared to plants of Guzmania hybrida‘Diana’, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Laarne,Belgium, plants of the new Guzmania and ‘Diana’ differed in thefollowing characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Guzmania were more compact than plants of        ‘Diana’.    -   2. Plants of the new Guzmania had shorter and broader leaves        than plants of ‘Diana’.    -   3. Plants of the new Guzmania and ‘Diana’ differed in bract        color as plants of ‘Diana’ had yellow-colored bracts.    -   4. Bracts of plants of the new Guzmania retained their color        longer than bracts of plants of ‘Diana’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearanceof the new Guzmania plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in thephotographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in thedetailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors ofthe new Guzmania plant.

The photograph on the first sheet comprises a side perspective view of atypical flowering plant of ‘Flava’ grown in a container.

The photograph on the second sheet is a top perspective view of atypical inflorescence of ‘Flava’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations, measurementsand values describe plants grown during the winter in 9-cm containers ina glass-covered greenhouse in Laarne, Belgium and under culturalpractices typical of commercial Guzmania production. During theproduction of the plants, day temperatures ranged from 21° C. to 30° C.,night temperatures ranged from 20° C. to 21° C. and maximum light levelswere 18,000 lux. Plants were three years old when the photographs anddescription were taken. In the following description, color referencesare made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2007 Edition,except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Guzmania hybrida ‘Flava’.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Guzmania hybrida ‘BQZ’, not            patented.        -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Unnamed proprietary selection of            Guzmania minor, not patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—By tissue culture.        -   Root description.—Thick, fleshy; creamy white in color.        -   Rooting habit.—Medium density.-   Plant description:    -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Compact, upright and outwardly            arching plant habit; broad inverted triangle; basal rosette            of outwardly curved strap-like leaves affixed in tight            spiral ranks; terminal inflorescence on an upright scape            emerging from the center of the basal rosette; low to            moderately vigorous growth habit.        -   Plant height, soil surface to top of inflorescence.—About            18.2 cm.        -   Plant diameter or spread.—About 37.4 cm.-   Leaf description:    -   -   Arrangement.—Basal rosette, spiral phyllotaxis; leaves            sessile.        -   Quantity of leaves per plant.—Plants typically produce about            24 leaves prior to inflorescence development.        -   Shape.—Ligulate.        -   Apex.—Apiculate.        -   Margin.—Entire.        -   Length.—About 22.8 cm.        -   Width.—About 3.2 cm.        -   Aspect.—Leaves curved outward over their length and arching            downward towards the apex.        -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Leathery, stiff; smooth,            glabrous.        -   Venation.—Parallel.        -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Between 143A and            146A. Developing leaves, lower surface: Between 146B and            147B. Fully expanded leaves, upper surface: Darker than            between 143A and 144A; venation, darker than between 143A            and 144A. Fully expanded leaves, lower surface: Between 144A            and 146B; venation, close to between 144A and 146B.-   Inflorescence description:    -   -   Inflorescence form.—Terminal inflorescences with showy            bracts; inflorescences supported on erect and strong scapes.        -   Inflorescence length.—About 18.2 cm.        -   Inflorescence width.—About 12.5 cm.        -   Fragrance.—None detected.        -   Inflorescence longevity.—Inflorescences of the new Guzmania            are long-lasting; bract coloration is maintained for about            four to five months; inflorescences persistent.        -   Natural flowering season.—Plants of the new Guzmania flower            naturally during the winter.        -   Flowers.—Flower initiation and development have not been            observed on plants of the new Guzmania.        -   Scape.—Length: About 10.2 cm. Diameter: About 9 mm.            Strength: Strong. Aspect: Erect. Texture: Smooth, glabrous.            Color: Close to 157C to 157D.        -   Terminal bracts.—Length: About 7.7 cm. Width: About 2.3 cm.            Shape: Lanceolate or ligulate. Apex: Apiculate. Base:            Sheathing the scape. Margins: Entire. Texture, upper and            lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color: When developing,            upper and lower surfaces: Close to 17C. Fully developed,            upper surface: Close to 34A; towards the apex, close to            183A. Fully developed, lower surface: Close to 34A; towards            the apex, close to 187A.        -   Scape bracts.—Length: About 11.9 cm. Width: About 2.7 cm.            Shape: Lanceolate or ligulate. Apex: Apiculate. Base:            Sheathing the scape. Margins: Entire. Texture, upper and            lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color: When developing and            fully developed, upper surface: Close to N144A; margins,            close to 34B; towards the apex, between 143A and 146B. When            developing and fully developed, lower surface: Close to 145A            tinged with close to 39B; towards the apex, close to 146B.-   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Guzmania have been observed    to tolerate high temperatures about 40° C. and to be hardy to USDA    Hardiness Zone 10.-   Disease & pest resistance: Plants of the new Guzmania have not been    observed to resistant to pathogens and pests common to Guzmania    plants.

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Guzmania plant named ‘Flava’ asillustrated and described.